SOC 47-5044.00

    Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining

    Operate underground loading or moving machine to load or move coal, ore, or rock using shuttle or mine car or conveyors.

    Median pay
    $74,500
    Growth
    -15.8%
    Decline
    Openings a year
    400
    Typical education
    No formal credential

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

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    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $52,030
    Median
    $74,500
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $87,730
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    5,930 people work in this occupation.

    What loading and moving machine operators, underground mining do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    Operate underground loading or moving machine to load or move coal, ore, or rock using shuttle or mine car or conveyors. Equipment may include power shovels, hoisting engines equipped with cable-drawn scraper or scoop, or machines equipped with gathering arms and conveyor.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    100 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    19 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S)
    0 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    0 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    45 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
    85
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    76
    Controlling Machines and Processes
    74
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    73
    Getting Information
    66
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    64
    Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
    63
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    62
    Handling and Moving Objects
    59
    Performing General Physical Activities
    57
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Operation and Control
    • Operations Monitoring
    • Troubleshooting
    • Active Listening
    • Coordination
    • Critical Thinking
    • Equipment Maintenance
    • Speaking
    • Monitoring
    • Reading Comprehension

    Knowledge

    • Mechanical
    • Education and Training
    • Law and Government
    • English Language
    • Production and Processing
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Transportation
    • Administration and Management
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Design

    Abilities

    • Control Precision
    • Multilimb Coordination
    • Reaction Time
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Near Vision
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Rate Control
    • Depth Perception
    • Perceptual Speed

    Work styles

    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Attention to Detail
    • Perseverance
    • Integrity
    • Self-Control
    • Self-Confidence
    • Cooperation
    • Achievement Orientation

    Also called

    Buggy Driver · Buggy Man · Buggy Operator · Buggy Runner · Car Dropper · Car Dumper · Car Pincher · Cart Driver · Coal Hauler Operator · Coke Loader

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What loading and moving machine operators, underground mining may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    3 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

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    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

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    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.